Uglies: a new decision
by dandan123
Summary: What happens when Tally makes a decision that will change her life forever? Don't need to have read uglies to read this. Recommended though. Please R
1. New Pretty Town

This story is if Tally made different decisions in the Uglies book.

Tally left her interface ring on her side table and stuck a portable heater under the covers.

"Goodnight" Tally said to the room.

"Goodnight Tally" the room replied.

She climbed out of her bedroom window and hid behind the recycler. She remembered her and Peris doing this all the time back when Peris was still in Uglyville. She walked quietly to the river that separated Uglyville and New Pretty Town. She climbed down the rope her and Peris had set up a long time ago. Tally quickly walked along the rivers edge and crossed the bridge that she knew wouldn't tell.

She walked up a pleasure garden in the bushes and quickly grabbed a stray mask that some parade had left behind. She quickly ran up to Peris' mansion. Tally had got a ping from Peres and knew how to decipher the numbers and letters at the bottom to figure out where it came from. She walked into the mansion where everyone was in suits and ties. All the Pretties stood aside as she barged in. She started to hear teasing but that didn't concern her just now. She walked up a few flights of stairs because without her interface ring no elevator would come. Tally bumped into a Pretty as she was looking at the ground.

"oh excuse me" said the Pretty.

"I'm sorry" Tally replied looking up.

As Tally looked at the Pretty he started to become familiar looking.

"Peris?" Tally took off her mask to get a better look. "It is you."

She hugged him.

"Tally. You have to get out of here. You could get in serious trouble." Peris said. Tally and Peris had always snuck across the river to laugh at the empty shallow headed Pretties but had never snuck into a bash.

"Okay" Tally said as she turned around. She heard other Pretties coming up the stairs.

"I think the pig went this way." Tally knew they were talking about her because she had been wearing a pig mask. She went to pick up the mask but it had already recycled itself.

"Tally the roof" Peris grabbed Tally's arm and dragged her toward an elevator. He called one.

"Elevator requested" Tally and Peris stepped in.

"Roof" Peres told it. When the elevator opened at the roof a few Pretties nearest the elevator looked at them.

"Ew an Ugly." One said. They all started making comments like that. Peris rushed Tally passed them.

He turned around to face her. "Tally promise me you won't cross the river again or anything that could wind up with you in trouble with the wardens. I want to see you Pretty. Just get a bungee jacket and jump off the roof."

"Jump off the roof! I don't think I can do that" Tally exclaimed.

"Don't worry we do it all the time the jacket lifts you before you splat. Bye Tally" He then went and got in an elevator. Tally quickly went to the bungee jacket rack and tried to grab one, it wouldn't come loose. She found the emergency fire button and they all fell off the rack. Tall grabbed one and put it on. She checked for the green light like they taught you in school and jumped. _What if I need an interface ring to make it work. _Tally thought as she fell towards the ground. She looked down and saw a crowd of Pretties staring at her. She came about a yard from the ground then felt the strings tighten and yank her upward.

As she tumbled head over heels she tried to right herself. When she did she directed herself down toward Uglyville. She heard sirens start and hovercars come toward Garbo mansion. She soared down the hill and through the pleasure gardens when she finally stopped she pulled at cords until the bungee jacket loosened and fell to the ground. She ran to the river and saw a figure standing on the bridge. Tally Youngblood crouched behind a bush knowing it must be a warden. She kneeled there for a long time barely breathing. Finally, a twig cracked beneath her knee.

"I'm sorry" Tally said. Then she saw the figure walk up to her and peer at her through the bushes. Another Ugly. Tally got out from behind the bush.

"I'm Shay" she said. "Where's your board?"

"I don't have one"

"How did you get over here then, swim?" Shay asked.

"A bridge."

"Won't it tattle?"

"It's an old friend."

**Well there you go the first chapter. I know nothing much changed but don't worry in the chapters to come Tally makes a decision that changes the whole coarse of the story.**


	2. The Ruins

Tally sped around a flag and approached the turn she could never make. She shifted her weight into the turn her board kept tipping up and she felt her crash bracelets kick in a little keeping her on board. She shifted her feet too far forward and fell through the air. Her crash bracelets kicked in and twirled her around by her wrists. They put her on the ground gently and Tally started rubbing her wrists in the spots where the bracelets had dug in.

"Shay I don't think I'll ever get this let's just give in for the day."

"Oh c'mon Tally just one more time then if you still don't get the turn then we can call it a day."

"Fine" Tally said picking up her board and getting on. She went to the top of the slalom course and started down. She made the first few turns with ease and then approached the turn that always dumped her. Tally started slow and then started to come around the turn. She made extra effort to keep her feet in the right places and her board tipped and her bracelets kept her on board. She came around the turn then fell off.

Her bracelets caught her and she was put on the ground.

"Shay I did it" Tally yelled.

"Good job" Shay said coming beside Tally.

"So how long do you have before you turn?" Tally asked.

"Two months and twenty-six days" Shay answered in monotone.

"Seriously me too" Tally exclaimed.

"Wow we have the same birthday" Shay said. She got back on her board and started to drift over the treetops. Tally caught up to her.

"Tally I think you're ready to visit the ruins."

"I've been to the ruins before."

"Not on a class trip at night, tonight."

"I don't know Shay. I mean Peris said not to do anything crazy that could make me get in so much trouble that I don't turn."

"Oh c'mon Tally have you ever heard of that happening?"

"Well, no"

"C'mon just come with me to the ruins tonight"

"Well okay" Tally agreed.

That night Tally grabbed her board and snuck out her bedroom window. Her board was on of Shay's old boards that Shay had given her. Tally met Shay down by the river as they had planned. Earlier Shay had taught Tally how to trick the safety governs so they wouldn't tattle. Shay handed Tally a pair of goggles.

"What are these for?" She asked.

"You'll see."

They mounted their boards and took off down the river. They soon hit the white water where the goggles were necessary. Shay and Tally laughed and screamed as they were sprayed in the face and when they would reach small drops. Soon they were at the end of the river.

"That was the best. Okay where do we go from here?" Tally asked.

"From here to the ruins there is no natural vein of iron so we have to carry our boards."

"How did we ride the river then?" Tally asked as they began to walk.

"There are minerals from the mountain. Like when the Rusties used to pan for gold."

"Oh" Unable to use the metal from the river to lift itself the boards kept getting heavier and heavier as they moved further away from the river. When they reached the ruins Shay said that they could get back on their boards. They weaved in and out of the burnt down buildings and they finally reached a big structure made of wood and metal.

"This is a roller coaster. The Rusties used to ride in little cars and go on this track. It's like a solid hoverboard track."

"Neat" Tally never thought of the Rusties having fun. Only of that last fateful day where the Rusty civilization went up in smoke.

"C'mon Tally. Let's go"

"Um Okay" They both went to the start of the coaster and started up the big hill. Then when they got to the top Shay yelled back "Take the rest fast." They went down turns and loops and finally went up a small hill, and went down the hill Tally heard Shay scream and waited then went down at top speed. She felt the board drop out from under her. She was in freefall. Her crash bracelets fell limp on her wrists and she was in freefall. After a slow count of five she felt her board slide under her and she was going along the track again. She sailed the last bit of the track at stumbled off her board which followed her like a little puppy.

"SHAY why didn't you tell me there was a freefall drop?" Tally exclaimed.

"I don't know. More fun that way."

"Well it wasn't fun."

"Sorry, do you forgive me?"

"I'll let you know"

"Alright. Oh there's something else I wanted to show you?"

"Does it involve free fall?"

"No" Shay led Tally to the tallest building in the ruins. Then she went closer to the wall and started to rise slowly.

"Shay what are you doing?" Tally called up.

"Just follow me" Tally started up the wall how Shay did it. When they both got to the top Shay pulled a safety spark out of her backpack and lit it. She held it in the air like she was signaling something, or someone. When the sparkler went out Shay just stood there looking around. Then another flare went off about five buildings away.

"Okay Tally let's go" Shay said then began to descend.

"Shay, where are we going?" Tally asked as she began to descend.

"To meet David" Shay said simply. Once they got to the bottom they started out for the building where the flare had come from.

When they got there a figure stood in the corner. He came up to them carrying a board and a backpack on his back. He was about 18 and was an ugly.

"Hello I'm David" He said.

"I'm Tally. Not to be rude but what city do you come from?"

David turned to Shay "Shay didn't you tell her anything"

"Well –"

"Tally I don't live in a city per say"

"Where do you live? Out here?" Tally asked confused.

"Well in a city far away where no one becomes pretty"

"I don't believe you"

"Tally it's true" Shay said speaking up.

"So what are you doing out here?" Tally asked.

"Bringing Uglies who don't want to become pretty into my city"

"So you take them form their homes?"

"No, no one has to come. It's just for people who want to escape the city." David replied.

"Oh" Tally looked at the ground.

"Okay well I will be back here in a couple of months so come and visit." David said

"Okay bye" Shay said

"Bye" Tally said looking up.

"Bye" Said David riding off. Tally and Shay rode off to the edge of the ruins.

"Isn't he awesome?" Shay asked Tally as they picked up their boards and started walking.

"Yeah but I still can't quite get the not turning pretty thing."

"Well he comes from a city called the Smoke and believe it or not there are quite a few Uglies who don't want to turn."

"But why wouldn't you?" Tally asked.

"Well because when you're pretty you're boring."

"What are you talking about? Parties every night, extravagant beds and tubs, delicious food and lots of friends. What more could you ask for?"

"Maybe I don't find that stuff fun. Maybe my definition of fun is pulling tricks and coming out here and riding the coaster."

"We can still do that stuff as Pretties." They had stopped walking now and were facing each other.

"Yeah but Pretties never do. Even the trickiest Uglies never pull tricks once they turn."

"How do you know?" Tally asked.

"You're not the only one who has visited Pretties. I've seen them. No one pulls tricks there!"

"Well maybe they don't need to. Maybe they have just grown up and have no need to pull tricks!" Tally yelled.

"Yeah maybe." Shay said then turned and got on her board and hovered onto the river. "Race you" Shay took off and Tally followed, laughing.


	3. Decisions

"Okay here is option 2" Tally clicked her interface ring and a picture of her face that looked like a cat popped onto the wall screen. It had been a month since they had met David at the ruins.

"You look like a pussy"

"Hey"

"No really you look like a cat."

"Yeah" Tally brought the eyes wider "That's better"

"Can we go hoverboarding now?" Shay asked looking out the window longingly.

"Show me one of yours" Tally said.

"I can't I don't have any"

"Oh c'mon don't tell me you've never done one. They're fun."

"Never. I don't find it fun to make myself feel ugly"

"But we are ugly"

"I don't think you're ugly. I don't think I'm ugly either."

"We won't even have to think about that in a couple of months" Tally said.

"Yeah" Shay said with a hint of disappointment.

"Do you not want to be Pretty?" Tally asked.

"I won't even get a say in how I look I will look however the doctors want me to look. Not how I want to look and maybe, maybe I think I am already pretty."

"Yeah you are pretty for an Ugly" Shay always went all weird whenever they talked about the operation. "Fine let's just go hoverboarding"

"No I don't want to anymore" With that Shay stormed out.

Tally and Shay went three weeks without any pings. Tally hated fighting with Shay but every time she tried to ping her she never knew what to write and gave up. She went out to the ruins and rode the coaster a few times but it wasn't the same without Shay. Tally sat on her bed thinking about what Shay had said a couple of weeks ago about being pretty when she heard someone climb through the window. Everyone in her dorm was asleep since it was pretty late.

"Hey Squint"

"Hey Skinny it's so good to see you" Tally said getting up and hugging Shay.

"I know I can't believe it we haven't talked in so long. I need to talk to you about something" Shay said.

"What is it?"

"I want to run away" Shay said with a smile.

"What?"

"Listen, long ago I had a bunch of friends only some turned pretty. The rest ran away to the Smoke. I was going to go, I had my bag packed and everything, but at the last minute I chickened out. "

"But we were going to be Pretty together" Tally said taking Shay's hands in hers.

"Don't worry we can still be together"

"How?"

"I want you to come with me, to the Smoke"

"Shay I don't know if I could do that"

"Okay how about we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" Tally asked skeptical.

"If you listen to what I have to say about running away I'll listen to what you have to say about turning pretty" Shay suggested.

"Deal" They shook hands and Tally sat on her bed ready to listen to Shay.

"Okay Tally being Pretty doesn't seem to be all it's cracked up to be. We both love to pull tricks. That's what we think is fun, not being shallow or going to parties every night. They don't even come back to Uglyville to visit. It's like they don't even care. We are made to feel ugly, we are brainwashed into thinking that anyone normal is ugly. I don't think I am ugly, I don't think you're ugly. In the Smoke we can just be ourselves and make our own choices everyone is ugly there which means no one is." Shay finished. "Okay now I'll listen to you." Shay sat on the bed and Tally stood up in front of her.

"Okay well when we are Pretty we can do anything we want. We go to parties every night, take nice long showers and meet a whole bunch of new people. We will be with all our old friends. We can have boyfriends. Everyone pays attention to you because you have beauty." Tally finished what she had to say. Then she sat beside Shay.

"Okay let's take a day or two to mull things over and we will ping each other when we have made our decisions" Shay said.

"Alright." Tally said. Then Shay went over to the window.

"Bye"

"Bye" Shay slipped out the window and Tally chewed a toothpaste pill and changed into pajamas and went to bed.

The next day Tally thought long and hard about the decision she had to make. But, by bedtime she still hadn't made her decision. Two days passed but she still couldn't make her decision. Finally on the third day just before nightfall Tally made her decision she pinged Shay

_Shay, I have made my decision Meet me ASAP in my room._

Now all Tally had to do was wait. 15 minutes later Shay came in through Tally's bedroom window.

"Hi Squint"

"Hey Skinny"

"Okay so what is your decision?" Shay asked.

"Well I've decided I'm not going to come with you to the Smoke " Tally said

"Well I'm going to miss you. Are you sure this is what you really want?"

"Yes" Tally answered.

"Okay well you promise you won't tell anyone where I went?"

"Promise."

"Okay bye" Shay said then they hugged. "I'll come by before I leave"

"Bye" Tally responded. Then Shay climbed back out the window.

Over the next month Tally kept thinking about her decision to not go to the Smoke. She thought about Peris, Shay, and David, going to the smoke and turning pretty. She made mental pros and con lists. She also pulled a few tricks and went over to New Pretty town a few times to study the pretties. Sneaking into places and pulling tricks wasn't as fun without someone else. She also went out to the ruins to feel what it was like out in nature. Finally the night before Tally and Shay were supposed to turn pretty Shay crawled through Tally's window.

"Hi Tally"

"Hey Shay" They hugged. Why haven't you pinged?"

"Never knew what to say."

"Same here."

"Okay you are sure you don't want to come?" Shay asked.


	4. The Escape

"Actually I have to show you something." Tally said. Then she went over to her bed and Shay followed. Tally leaned down and took out a black backpack that matched Shay's and a long- distance board from under her bed. "I want to come"

"Yay" Shay hugged Tally and started jumping up and down. It was 12:00 midnight. Tally looked at the clock.

"Happy birthday Shay"

"Happy Birthday to you too" Shay said realizing what time it was.

"Okay so how are we getting there?" Tally asked.

"Well I have this note David gave me when he told me he couldn't bring me to the Smoke." Shay said pulling a note from her bag.

"Okay hold on." Tally grabbed her interface ring. She pinged Peris telling him not to wait for her to turn ….because she wasn't going to.

"Tally what are you doing? You know the wardens read most of the mail. Especially the trickiest uglies' mail."

"Oh man I totally forgot" Tally exclaimed.

"Okay we have to go now," Shay said. "They probably already know."

"Okay let's go" Tally said and followed Shay to the window where sirens were heard in the distance. "Wait" Tally said. She ran across the room to her small table and grabbed her belly sensor. Then ran over to the window and clipped it on her belly ring. She grabbed her bag and board which she forgot in the commotion and climbed out the window going behind the recycler. Shay was already out from behind there and Tally went out to meet her.

"Hurry Tally they know"

Tally and Shay got on their boards and started for the river at top speed. A hovercar was heading straight for them. The lights and sirens were blaring. They continued on. The hovercar landed in front of them. Shay and Tally skidded to a halt. Shay looked around. A couple of wardens got out of the car. Shay suddenly went full on toward the hovercar.

"Shay what are you doing?" Tally yelled.

"Just follow me" Shay yelled back. Tally did what Shay did, headed full on toward the hovercar. The two wardens that got out headed toward Tally since Shay was on the hovercar. Tally realized what Shay was doing and sped up. She reached the car and one warden grabbed her arm. Tally was yanked off her board because of the strong grip.

"SHAY" Tally screamed. Shay looked back and saw Tally being pulled into the wardens car. She shot down the car and skidded around the corner Tally continued screaming.

"Calm down Tally by tomorrow you will be pretty"

"LET ME GO, SHAY HELP" Tally screamed.

"Tally I'm here. Let her go" Shay said to the wardens.

"It's your birthday too so you'll also be pretty tomorrow" said the wardens as they grabbed Shay. Shay struggled but middle pretties had really strong grips. "Why are you two struggling so much?" They sat Tally and Shay in the back, buckled them in and then got up in the front seats. Luckily, Shay and Tally's boards followed them into the hovercar. Once they took off Shay and Tally unbuckled themselves quietly and Shay whispered the plan to Tally.

"We'll open the doors and jump out with our boards under us and quickly escape into the ruins."

"Okay" Tally whispered back. They grabbed their boards and Shay found the latch that opened the door. Just then a warden looked back.

"Hey sit back down we're almost there" The warden got up and Shay jumped. Tally followed. Tally looked down and realized they were in the heart of New Pretty town. Shay had landed and was already tearing off toward the ruins by the time Tally landed. She took off toward the ruins and heard the hovercar land about 15 yards behind her. She went as fast as the board would go trying to coax more speed out of it as she went. She heard the hovercar start up again and she knew it was flying low trying to catch her.

She took a sharp turn between two buildings and heard the hovercar overshoot. She took another sharp turn towards the ruins. The hovercar was soon behind her and she had to take another sharp turn. She took a turn and started heading toward the ruins again. Tally rode as fast as she could for a couple of minutes then the roar of the engine stopped. She turned her head and saw that the hovercar was gone. She turned her head back around feeling triumphant and saw the car blocking her way. She remembered what Shay had tried earlier and pretended to give up. The hovercar landed and she went speeding up the front. From below she could hear the wardens yelling but, she didn't care. Tally kept gaining speed. When she reached the top she launched her board into the air and sailed way past the end of the hovercar. She could see the river and sped up again.

She heard the hovercar speed up again as she hit the river. She yanked a pair of goggles out of her pocket and slapped them on. She sped along the water then when she got to the rapids she went at top speed. At the end of the rapids she grabbed her board. She heard the hovercar gaining on her and she knew that she wouldn't be able to outrun it if it got closer. She dunked in the river trying to hide her body heat. The cold water engulfed her entire body. Her body instinctively curled into a ball. She let the water cool her body heat then she got out and went behind a tree. She took off her goggles. The backpack and jacket felt like weights, since they were sopping wet. She turned down the heater on her jacket trying to stall her body heat from returning. Tally heard the car go past and snuck out from behind the tree. _I wonder where Shay went_. Tally thought. Tally thought about where she had last seen Shay, jumping out of the hovercar. Tally walked toward the ruins. She heard the hum of the hovercar in the distance and began to run.

Tally reached the ruins and looked around. It was complete silence. Tally walked further in and someone snatched her from behind. They took her into a building covering her mouth as they pulled. Finally, when they reached the cover of a building the person let go of Tally.

"What the………." She stopped talking when she had whorled around and saw who was standing there, Shay. "Oh it's you" Tally lightened up.

"Where were you?" Shay asked nothing how wet Tally was. Tally told her the story of being chased then trying to hide her body heat. "Oh okay" Shay said "let's get going because the authorities are bound to find us-" Shay stopped as she heard the whirring of a hovercar right above them.


End file.
